


a time, a moment

by cptsuke



Series: Old guard shorts [1]
Category: The Old Guard (Movie 2020)
Genre: Gen, M/M, Pre-Canon, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-08
Updated: 2020-11-08
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:46:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27451456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cptsuke/pseuds/cptsuke
Summary: set in some random time, at the beginninga small moment in a marketplace
Relationships: Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova
Series: Old guard shorts [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2055867
Comments: 17
Kudos: 73





	a time, a moment

The look of longing, wistfulness, on Nicolò's face catches Yusuf's attention almost immediately. His companion tends to be more stoic in nature, so to see him staring at the handful of books for sale in the marketplace with such open emotion, Yusuf finds himself suddenly very intrigued.

“We could find some in Latin, when we get to Cairo?” Yusuf suggests.

Nicolò looks at him as if he'd spoken in Tamazight, wide uncomprehending eyes before looking down, a flush of pink spreading across his face.

“No,” he says to the ground, “it would be a waste of coin.”

Joe starts to protest, saying that it was perhaps a frivolous purchase, but if it would please Nicolò, it would please him too.

“Yusuf,” Nicolò says, a gentle arm on his hand, his jaw moving in the way it did when he had thoughts he had trouble putting into words. Or words he feared to say out loud. “It would be a waste, I can not read.”

Yusuf chokes. “But- I don't – You? How-?” He swallows his words, rearranges his thoughts to the sight of Nicolò's reddening face; embarrassment.

“Perhaps,” he says lightly, feeling Nicolò's eyes upon him as his fingers skim lightly across the book's leather cover, across to the other wares. “perhaps, I should teach you to read Arabic first, before your mind is ruined by Latin.”

“You don't have to. You shouldn't have to.” Nicolò whispers, eyes on Yusuf's hand trailing across the seller's items.

“We have nothing but time,” Yusuf smiles, hopes it takes the bite out of his words, turns them into gentle teasing. “Perhaps it would be good for you to read your bible for yourself.”

It's a barb, but a soft, worn one.

Nicolò's eyes widen, wonder filled, as if he'd never thought the idea possible.

“Perhaps I shall teach you to read Arabic from the Qu'ran first,” Joe half jests with a smile to soften the blow. “Teach you the real word of God.”

Sometimes Yusuf smiles just to see the crinkles beside Nicolò's eyes appear, as if Nicolò was helpless to do nought but return the expression, no matter how muted.

“I would like that.” Nicolò replies quietly, that barely there smile still upon his face.

**Author's Note:**

> low key obsessed with the idea of priest!nicky copying manuscripts but also never learning how to read? also highkey in love with the idea that everytime Nicky reads post this, he's thinking of Joe teaching him and its never ending heart eyes with these lads.


End file.
